UI Vs. UX

Facebook. Uber. Amazon. What is the one thing all of these apps have in common? They are designed to near perfection! Many think the popularity of mainstream apps illustrates that all apps with a revolutionary proposition are bound to be successful. However, did you know that in 2019 alone, 25 percent of apps were only used once after being installed! One of the biggest reasons for this is the inability of apps to offer seamless UI and an integrated UX. Before Facebook ruled the world, MySpace failed miserably due to its poor UI. And while offering a similar solution as Yelp, Four Square didn’t make it big. Getting the app design fundamentals right is no longer a differentiating factor. Instead, the inability to deliver it can result in customer churns. As per UX Cam, 91 percent of people who are unsatisfied with a given experience end up abandoning the solution. But, to get the elements right, you must first clearly understand them. For instance, UI and UX are often confused with one another by businesses and developers alike. Understanding the Difference – UI Vs. UX A lot of newbie designers misunderstand the terms UI and UX to mean the same thing. The first step to creating a winning app is to understand the difference between the two and then ensuring that both are up to mark. User Experience (UX) At the crux of every product in the world is its ability to satisfy its users. Regardless of how great you think your solution is, if your end consumers are dissatisfied with it, it will all go down the drain. This is the main philosophy behind user experience. UX, or user experience, refers to the process of improving user satisfaction with a product, and in this case, your app. This is achieved by boosting the accessibility, usability, and performance of the app. Overall, users must feel pleased when interacting with your solution. Coined by Don Norman, UX describes the significance of having a user-centered design. Each app design decision must be made after considering the wants, expectations, and needs of the users. Note that here the medium is not limited to the digital solution. While many tend to think that UX is only limited to the users’ interaction with the app, this is not the case. Instead, UX encompasses perceptions of consumers prior to, during, and after their use of the app. This includes crafting the most compelling overview of the app, the download process, the actual usage of the app, and the post-usage interaction with the business. For example, in the case of an Ecommerce app, the user experience will involve the branding efforts of the business, the ease of downloading it from the app store, the reviews users read, the push notifications or emails the brands send on behalf of the app, etc. User Interface (UI) User Interface revolves around the usability of an app. A solution with a great UI will be one that is highly user-friendly and features an efficient interface. Another common misconception about the user interface is that it only about the development of navigation menus and buttons. However, in reality, it is much more complex than this. UI includes all interactions that occur between the app and the user. It doesn’t just encompass the look of the app but its functionality as well. Continuing the above example, when making decisions about where to place the cart option in an Ecommerce app, developers must consider what position would be optimum for their users. They must decide which color scheme to use to help consumers in detecting the presence of the cart. Additionally, the app developer must ensure that the overall flow of the app makes sense. The consumer journey must be mapped out, and an interface has to be made that simplifies this journey. The Main Difference Between UI and UX While UI consists of technical elements that allow users to interact with the app, UX revolves around the overall perception the user takes away about the experience with the app. Let’s take Google as an example. The user interface of the platform is highly simplistic. It is designed to ensure that users are able to get information quickly. However, if the search engine features a high load time, thereby hampering customers’ ability to seek information, the experience (UX) offered would be compromised. Apart from the basic difference, here are ways that UI and UX differ from one another. UI focuses on the app performance while UX focuses on the entire user journey. User Interface (UI) determines how the app will look like, while UX determines what problem it will solve in the users’ life. UI revolves around visually directing the user about the app interface, while UX includes researching, testing, developing, and prototyping the app. UI, unlike UX, is limited to the screen. UX transcends beyond it and includes all interactions and touchpoints with a user. The Overlap The reason UX and UI are often thought to be synonymous with one another is that quality apps must include both. And without proper UI, UX is automatically compromised. Why? This is because when interacting with the app, users require the platform to be user-friendly and efficient to call the experience smooth and convenient. Therefore, usability plays a crucial role in attaining optimum UX. What Makes a Great UX? Creating an app with an impeccable UX requires having the right mindset. To provide a quality user experience, you must aim to benefit your users from the get-go. The best way to have a great UX is via the design thinking methodology. Here, app developers must first research their target audience to identify their behavior, unmet needs, and wants. This helps in creating a solution that is truly needed by consumers. A value-based product idea is at the heart of creating a flawless user experience. You must then understand the business model of the app and see how it fits into the broader context of users’